What you think about Kurri?

[ShaneDoan]

Was it just a Gretzky who create Jari great player with his passes. I think Gretzky`s ability to pass was quite remarkable.

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[Ogopogo*]

Was it just a Gretzky who create Jari great player with his passes. I think Gretzky`s ability to pass was quite remarkable.

Absolutely not! Kurri was a phenomenal player in his own right.

First, if Kurri was not a phenomenal goal scorer, Sather would never have paired him with Gretzky. Why on earth put a fire hydrant as the sniper with Wayne? Remeber Raimo Summanen? Exactly. He was on the line and could not score. Kurri was a great sniper.

As well, In Kurri's last season with Gretzky, he scored 96 points. After Gretzky was sold to LA, Kurri scored 102 and 93 points in the next two seasons. He also chipped in 25 points on a Stanley Cup run without Gretzky in 1990.

Kurri was an amazing player and deserves all of the accolades that have come to him.

 

[ShaneDoan]

Sadly that didn`t help Finnish national team in the late 80`s and early 90`s.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Tremendous player. Was he helped by playing with Gretzky ?? Absolutely, Wayne would have boosted anyone's stats, but Kurri also was a big help to Gretzky. Kurri was a great penalty killer, very sound defensively and had a lethal one-timer.

 

[God Bless Canada]

All-round, I think Kurri is the best all-round European-born, European-trained player ever. (Mikita moved from Czechoslovakia to Canada as a child). There were other players with better offensive ability (Jagr, Statsny, etc), but Kurri was as strong defensively as he was offensively. (Was a finalist for the Selke the year Bobby Clarke won it). Kurri had one of the best one-timers I've ever seen, coupled with excellent hockey sense and goal-scoring instincts.

Gretzky even said that he wouldn't have put up as many points without Kurri.

 

[KRM]

Everything has allready been said, and I agree, he is the -"the best all-round European-born, European-trained player ever."

 

[Trottier]

Others have already answered the original question about Kurri's superb talents already. The guy possessed worldclass skills and could create on his own - this guy knew how to play on every square inch of the ice.

On a broader note (and this is no knock toward the thread starter), the entire notion of one player being "created by" another player, or better yet "leeching off" a linemate, is so misguided in its simplicity.

Ever play on a team (or even pickup) with a guy who is miles ahead of any else on the ice? He will typically make other players better...but only if those other players are smart enough to know where to go without the puck, and what to do once they get it.

Same concept applies even on the NHL level.

Of course, Kurri benefitted greatly from #99...and vice versa.

 

[Snap Wilson]

To my mind, those two achieved a sort of symbiosis that is rare among teammates. Other players played alongside Gretzky and didn't have anywhere near the success.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

To my mind, those two achieved a sort of symbiosis that is rare among teammates. Other players played alongside Gretzky and didn't have anywhere near the success.

moneyp, thanks for the effective use of the word symbiosis. It's highly underrated in here..

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Gretzky sucks

Jari Kurri was great on his own, of course Gretzky's passes help, but you can't score in NHL if you can't play hockey.

 

[RorschachWJK]

In a word: no. Gretzky certainly helped boost Kurri's performance, but I don't think you could have found a better linemate for Gretzky at the time. Someone mentioned symbiosis and that seems like the perfect description to me.

 

[Snap Wilson]

moneyp, thanks for the effective use of the word symbiosis. It's highly underrated in here..

Thanks. Technically, it's too vague. I should have used mutualism instead.

 

[KOVALEV10*]

Wow this thread is three hours old and not a word from the Gretzky-haters... Did anyone else notice that one is scarce the other is always also noticably absent A most interesting coincidence... Couples weekend retreat, perhaps???

Actually no. Kurri was a great player himself and the perfect linemate for 99. The friendship and chemistry these two had was remarkable. Kurri was as great without Gretzky while Gretzky's totals went down the year he got traded. So all in all both helped each other a lot and were 2 of the 5 big parts of the edmonton dinasty. (the other 3 were Coffey, Messier and Fuhr)

 

[kruezer]

Everything has allready been said, and I agree, he is the -"the best all-round European-born, European-trained player ever."

I as well concur with that statement. He is by far my favourite player of all time, his skills were just sublime IMO, definetaly a guy who could play on my top line anyday, and what outstanding hair he had.

On a side note, Pavel Datsyuk reminds me a lot of Kurri when he played, very similar looking stride and crafty with the puck.

 

[Claypool_*]

Tremendous player. Was he helped by playing with Gretzky ?? Absolutely...

Which would explain why the Oilers won the cup without Gretzky.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Which would explain why the Oilers won the cup without Gretzky.

you conveniently neglected the next sentence .... Wayne would have boosted anyone's stats, but Kurri also was a big help to Gretzky.

 

[Lowetide]

Jari Kurri was an outstanding player on a lot of levels.

Scorer- Quick release from the Bossy/Leach family, not quite at that level but elite level just the same.

Skating- Very smooth, could find open ice. Tremendous on the backcheck, one of the very best of the impact players I have seen. My most vivid memories of Kurri involve him picking them up and putting them down and using his patented stick check (came up behind his opponent as the player entered the offensive zone, lifted his stick and went the other way. Did it hundreds of times).

Passing- The man could make a pass and take a pass in full flight. Hard thing to do, and much of what we complain about now in the NHL is because many players simply can't lead a teammate properly. Kurri sent bullets where they were supposed to go.

Anticipation- I'll give you an example. 1984 Cup clinching game. Oilers trying to clinch it in Game 5 I believe and even though they have a stranglehold on the series as an Oiler fan I know the Islanders are going down easy.

The Islanders came to play. The game was certainly in doubt.

Islander forward comes to center, shoots the puck in deep. Jailbreak it appeared on both sides for line change EXCEPT Kurri skating like a demon to the puck.

Set play. 99 at the center ice line waiting for the pass if Kurri gets it to him he's got a breakaway.

Kurri's pass is golden.

Like there was any doubt at all.

 

[ShaneDoan]

Here in Finland Kurri is named Mr.Hockey. I think he was 80`ees legend in NHL...nothing just don`t last forever.

When i was child i was bit disappointed when i saw Kurri in Finnish National Team. Anyway there were couple good projects like home World Championships 1991 and Italy`s WC 1994. Also in Nagano Kurri was quite good.

 

[Trottier]

Anticipation- I'll give you an example. 1984 Cup clinching game. Oilers trying to clinch it in Game 5 I believe and even though they have a stranglehold on the series as an Oiler fan I know the Islanders are going down easy.

The Islanders came to play. The game was certainly in doubt.

Aside from giving me a headache on this Sunday morning, recounting the end of the Isles dynasty , didn't you mean to say that: "...as an Oiler fan I know the Islanders aren't going down easy."?

Just want to make sure that no one ever gets the wrong impression of that Isles team - they never quit, even when the end was inevitable that spring of '84.

 

[Lowetide]

Aside from giving me a headache on this Sunday morning, recounting the end of the Isles dynasty , didn't you mean to say that: "...as an Oiler fan I know the Islanders aren't going down easy."?

Just want to make sure that no one ever gets the wrong impression of that Isles team - they never quit, even when the end was inevitable that spring of '84.

Yes. Absolutely a typo. Actually iirc they were beaten up pretty badly, I know Bossy's back or knee was bothering him and maybe Gillies too.

Islanders never quit, in fact I think that game was 3-0 or 4-0 at the start of the third and my friend Lorne and I were dancing and laughing like idiots when Patty Lafontaine popped two.

Quickest sobering up in history.

 

[mattihp]

Yes. Absolutely a typo. Actually iirc they were beaten up pretty badly, I know Bossy's back or knee was bothering him and maybe Gillies too.

How was Bossy's back or knee bothering Gillies?

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Actually no. Kurri was a great player himself and the perfect linemate for 99. The friendship and chemistry these two had was remarkable. Kurri was as great without Gretzky while Gretzky's totals went down the year he got traded. So all in all both helped each other a lot and were 2 of the 5 big parts of the edmonton dinasty. (the other 3 were Coffey, Messier and Fuhr)

ever heard of Glen Anderson & Kevin Lowe?? I wouldn't rate them any less than Coffey given that they were around to play key roles in five oiler cups versus Coffey's three and Gretzky's four..

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Yes. Absolutely a typo. Actually iirc they were beaten up pretty badly, I know Bossy's back or knee was bothering him and maybe Gillies too.

Islanders never quit, in fact I think that game was 3-0 or 4-0 at the start of the third and my friend Lorne and I were dancing and laughing like idiots when Patty Lafontaine popped two.

Quickest sobering up in history.

Four nothing, LT. Smith had been chased from the net. I remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when those two quick goals were scored like it was yesterday..

 

[Trottier]

I know this Isles/Oilers Cup talk is off-topic, but have to share a couple of thoughts about the '84 series. In the waning seconds of the final game (game 5), with the Edmonton crowd going bonkers, Denis Potvin (on the ice) raised his hand up to the crowd, while play was going on up the ice. When asked afterward why he did so, he said it was a symbolic passing of the torch, acknowledgement that the Isles great run had come to an end and it was Edmonton's time, Edmonton's moment. I alway that was a classy and inciteful gesture by one very proud player.

***

The Isles knew full well that once it ended for them, it would be Edmonton. I recall reading Bob Bourne's quote in Sport Illustrated after the '83 Finals sweep. He said, essentially, "I don't know when it will happen, but it will happen. That team (Oilers) will win a Cup."

I hated him for even ackowledging that point (young punk that I was)...but he was correct!

***

As an NYI fan, I knew the Oilers were going to win that '84 series immediately after Game One. Why? Because the pulled out a very tight, low-scoring squeaker on the opponent's ice. (McLelland deflection, as I recall). The previous Oiler teams were incapable of winning those types of playoff games, at least against NYI. Even though NYI took Game Two handily (Gillies hatrick), there was no looking back for the Oilers.

 

[RorschachWJK]

ever heard of Glen Anderson & Kevin Lowe?? I wouldn't rate them any less than Coffey given that they were around to play key roles in five oiler cups versus Coffey's three and Gretzky's four..

Don't forget Esa Tikkanen either.